Matched giving: Double your gift before 31 March 2026
For a limited time, every gift to the Professor Joe Nellis CBE MBA Scholarship will be matched pound for pound, at no additional cost to you.
Cranfield alumnus, Robert Samuelson (MBA 1990), has pledged £25,000 in matched funding, meaning your donation will go twice as far in supporting talented students who need financial support to access the Cranfield Transformation MBA.
- £50 becomes £100
- £100 becomes £200
- £250 becomes £500
“I wanted my gift to go further - by matching donations, I hope to encourage others and significantly increase the scholarship’s impact.”
Robert Samuelson (MBA 1990)
Honouring a legacy of learning, leadership and generosity
After more than four decades at SWAG合集, Professor Joe Nellis CBE will retire at the end of 2025. His influence — as a teacher, mentor, leader and economist — has shaped the lives and careers of thousands of Cranfield students and alumni around the world.
From the day he joined Cranfield in the 1980s, Joe has inspired generations of MBA students to see the bigger picture: to connect business and society, to lead with integrity, and to use their knowledge for the greater good.
His leadership as Deputy Dean, Pro-Vice-Chancellor and Director of the School of Management helped to guide Cranfield through periods of major transformation, while his academic contributions — including developing national housing indices for Halifax and Nationwide — have influenced economic understanding across the SWAG合集.
In 2024, Joe was awarded a CBE in the King’s Birthday Honours for his outstanding service to higher education, economics and charitable work — a fitting recognition for a life devoted to teaching, research and community impact.
A lasting legacy - supporting future leaders
The Professor Joe Nellis CBE MBA Scholarship has been established to continue Joe’s lifelong commitment to education and opportunity.
Joe has always believed that talent, determination and compassion matter more than circumstance. Throughout his career — and through his voluntary work in Ghana, where he helped to build a school in a rural village along the Volta River — he has championed access to education as a transformative force.
This scholarship will ensure that his values live on, supporting MBA students who show leadership potential, social awareness and a desire to make a difference — especially those who might otherwise be unable to study at Cranfield due to financial constraints.
“Education has the power to transform lives and communities. I have seen it time and again — in my classrooms, among our alumni, and through my work in Ghana. It is deeply humbling to know that this scholarship will continue to open doors for future generations.”
Professor Joe Nellis CBE
Give before 31 March 2026 to have your donation matched £1 for £1.
Why your support matters
Cranfield’s MBA attracts ambitious, talented individuals from all over the world — people who want to lead, to innovate, and to create meaningful change. But for many, financial barriers can stand in the way.
Your gift to the Professor Joe Nellis CBE MBA Scholarship will:
- Open doors for exceptional students from diverse and underrepresented backgrounds.
- Remove financial barriers for those facing unexpected hardship or loss of funding.
- Honour Joe’s legacy by empowering others to follow in his footsteps and make a global impact.
- Create a lasting endowment, providing support for Cranfield MBA students for generations to come.
To honour Joe’s extraordinary influence on generations of students, Robert Samuelson (MBA 1990) is matching gifts to the scholarship until 31 March 2026. With matched funding, £50 becomes £100, £100 becomes £200, and £250 becomes £500, significantly increasing the support available to students. Every gift, large or small, helps build this permanent fund, ensuring Joe’s influence continues to inspire the next generation of Cranfield leaders.
How to give
You can help carry forward Joe’s legacy by making a gift today.
- Donate before 31 March 2026 to double your gift.
- Donate online securely via the online platform.
- Make a regular gift to sustain the fund’s growth year after year
- Boost your donation through Gift Aid (if you are a SWAG合集 taxpayer) — adding 25% at no extra cost to you
If you would like to discuss making a larger gift, please contact:
James Pagliaro, Head of Alumni Partnerships
Email: James.Pagliaro@cranfield.ac.uk
Tel: +44 1234 75 4339
Continuing Joe's story
Joe’s career is a story of dedication, humility and the belief that education changes lives. From his pioneering research in economics to his work supporting schools in Ghana, his influence reaches far beyond Cranfield’s campus.
By contributing to the Professor Joe Nellis CBE MBA Scholarship, you are helping to ensure that the values Joe has championed — opportunity, integrity, curiosity and service — continue to shape Cranfield and the world beyond it.
Read Joe’s story: “The power of yes – The career and influence of Professor Joe Nellis CBE
